Renewables and geopolitics: water and sun pivots to new world order
In our series of renewable energy and geopolitics interviews, Indra Øverland – head of the Center for Energy Research at the Norwegian Institute for International Affairs – explains why hydropower can be the perfect match for intermittent renewables such as solar and wind. Hydropower assets are one of the biggest geopolitical stories of the energy transition but receive almost no attention. Nations with strong hydro potential may become linchpins of regional renewable energy.
Belgium: Flemish regulator challenges smart meter residential PV agreement
The deal introduced a 15-year grace period for household PV system owners, during which they could choose whether to take net metering payments based on assumed energy use or a potential new system based on actual use and measured by smart meters.
African Development Bank sets up $500m facility for sub-Saharan small scale renewables
The new credit lines are for the development of on and off-grid renewable energy projects. The European Commission is offering the fund a €40 million helping hand.
Large clusters of solar power stations
In the last of a series of blogs, solar pioneer Philip Wolfe looks at areas where solar generating stations are clustered together, without the coordination afforded by organised solar parks.
Step back to catch up
We need to build solar parks only when there are no more square meters left on the rooftops, writes Mikhail Lifshitz, co-owner of Russia-based JSC Rotec.
Western Australian mines to be powered with solar, wind and batteries
Two Western Australian mines will be powered by renewable energy hybrid microgrids echoing a global shift away from fossil fuels in the mining sector.
Is the U.S. solar market slipping towards merchant?
As contract lengths shorten, U.S. solar developers and investors are relying more and more on sales of power in the spot market as the future.
Another solar park goes online in Mongolia
The 16.4 MW solar facility is located 14 km southwest of the New Ulaanbaatar International Airport. The project was developed by Sharp Corporation in partnership with Sermsang Power (SSP) and Tenuun Gerel Construction (TGC).
Mexico to kick-off first private renewables auction this week
Although it is unclear how much generation capacity will be contracted, several projects submitted for the subsequently cancelled fourth government renewables auction may participate in Thursday’s procurement. ‘Qualified users’ – energy consumers needing more than 1 MW of power and without access to regulated power supply from national utility CFE – are expected to be among the buyers at the exercise.
Another €4.4 million for solar-plus-storage incentives in northern Italy
After earmarking €3 million last year and €4 million in 2017, the Italian region of Lombardy has decided to further support residential and commercial storage projects linked to renewables.
